Advise -choosing final year undergrad courses

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around selecting final year undergraduate courses in mathematics, particularly in the context of preparing for a Master's program in financial mathematics. Participants explore various module options and their relevance to the intended field of study.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • The original poster plans to take courses in complex analysis, functional analysis, stochastic processes, and advanced numerical analysis, and is seeking advice on two additional modules from a specified list.
  • Some participants suggest that asymptotic analysis and nonlinear systems may be beneficial for financial mathematics, while others express skepticism about the utility of algebraic geometry and representation theory in this context.
  • One participant provides a brief explanation of asymptotic analysis, noting it involves the limiting behavior of functions.
  • There is a question regarding whether the numerical analysis course will cover sufficient material on nonlinear differential equations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing opinions on the relevance of certain courses to financial mathematics. There is no consensus on which modules are definitively the best choices.

Contextual Notes

Participants have not fully explored the content of the courses listed, and there are assumptions about the applicability of certain mathematical concepts to financial mathematics that remain unverified.

gomes.
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Advise --choosing final year undergrad courses

I need to pick my module choices for my 3rd and final year, and I am stuck on the final few modules I should choose.

For my final year, I already plan to do courses in complex analysis, functional analysis, stochastic processes, and advanced numerical analysis (Numerical ordinary differential equations//Numerical solutions to PDE's and ODE's), and I plan to do a dissertation on measure theory/lebesgue integration, or Perron–Frobenius theorem.

I am left to choose 2 more modules from the following below, may I ask for advice on choosing my modules? My intention is to do an MSc in financial maths, bearing in mind where universities usually ask for an emphsis in linear algebra, analysis, differential equations and probability theory..
I need to choose from:
1. Lie group and lie algebra
2. Representation Theory
3. Asymptotic analysis
4. Quantum mechanics
5. Algebraic geometry
6. Nonlinear systems with applications to biology (contains stuff on DE's, but related to biology??)

Any advice on which 2 of the 6 i should choose? I am thinking of doing representation theory (as it has stuff on linear algebra) and algebraic geometry, but any advise?
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And for my dissertation, i plan to do either measure theory/lebesgue integration OR the perron-frobenius theorem. Any recommendations?
 
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What is asymptotic analysis abou? That certainly looks interesting to somebody going for financial math. Also the course on nonlinear systems look could have some benefits for you.

As for the algebraic geometry and representation theory: they are useles for measure theory and financial math. So if you expect your courses to be usable later, then don't take those. However, if it interests you, then take them. It doesn't really matter that much.
 


Thanks :)
 


micromass said:
What is asymptotic analysis abou?

My understanding from a brief discussion with a lecturer is that it is about the limiting behaviour of functions in special cases. A very simple example might be neglecting parts of an expression proportional to inverse temperature at very high temperatures.

Yes, I suspect non-linear systems will have use in financial modelling, but I wonder if you will cover sufficient material in your Numerical Analysis course - do you know if this treats non-linear DEs?
 

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